Tag: titus

Whilst reading between chapters 3 and 7 it is easy to forget that Paul’s writing was a digression, a wonderful one at that. Here is where the digression started, in 2 v 13: “I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.” He waited and waited but Titus never showed up. What life was like without the ability to text! He desperately wanted to hear an update on the Church in Corinth especially after his (lost) letter and he was becoming more and more restless. So he decided to catch the ship and hope Titus would turn up eventually. When separated from those he cared about, the great Apostle, who sometimes looked untouchable, certainly incomparable to our lives, experiences anxiety. Titus was not just a co-worker, he was his ‘brother’ in Christ. Sometimes our lives are not just about being obedient to God but being faithful to people who God has led us to have heart connections with.
The digression now ends because Titus finally turns up.
“For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.” (2 Corinthians 7 v 5-7)
Throughout Paul’s life of ministry he had so many troubles. Harassed from those standing against the gospel message and anxieties over his relationships. He had written to the Corinthians Church a letter that we don’t have but they clearly received. We don’t really know what the letter was about though many have speculated. We do know it was a straight talking letter. So much so Paul was worried about what the response would be like. Would the Church turn their back on him? Could they see he wrote it out of deep love for them? Paul had no rest until he knew these answers.
But God.
Two powerful words that speak to us today. Paul had written quoting many times the God of the Old Testament, the God of the prophets, the God of the nation Israel and this God, is the God of Paul’s day also. God was there with Paul and the team. Two thousand years later, here today, with you and me, ‘But God.’
Slow your day down today because someone may just knock on your door, send you a text or email (if only Paul had these means in his day). There will be a moment today, a word spoken to you, which will be a ‘But God’ moment.
But God … when Titus appeared.
But God … when Titus spoke of the Church’s response to Paul.
But God … when Paul knew that distance didn’t impede their love for Paul.
But God … when Paul’s letter to them had brought them to their senses with regret.
But God … when Paul is told the people he loved were concerned for him also.
But God … when Paul’s fear turned to joy.
Your situation is different to Paul’s. But you may have fears within and harassment on the outside.
God is the lifter of heads. God brings comfort to the downcast. God uses people to do that. He may use you and He may have a ‘Titus’ He will use for you. Today could well be a ‘But God’ day. So open your ears and in your waiting, listen.

Paul is about to write that Titus should give practical instructions to the different age groups in the church. Sound doctrine is not mere theory for it must flow into practical living for everyone. There are 2 words he uses to move into that section and they are really important for Titus and for us.

“You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” (Titus 2 v 1)

In the original it reads ‘but you’. The emphasis is on ‘you’ and the ‘but’ (or here in the NIV, ‘however’) is in contrast to:-

… rebellious people… meaningless talk … deception, v10; But you/You however …

… disrupting whole households … teaching things they ought not to teach… dishonest gain, v11; But you/You however …

… myths … merely human commands, v14; But you/You however …

 … corrupted … do not believe, … minds and consciences are corrupted, v15 But you/You however …

 … by their actions they deny him … detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good, v16 But you/You however …

But you/you however:

• You don’t have to drift theologically.
• You can live an authentic life.
• You can be a disciple that is continually formed like Christ.
• You can keep to a standard of evaluating what you hear.

You don’t have to follow suit.

You can stand in contrast to the culture around you.

You can make and be the difference.

You can walk into the same environment but speak differently.

You can create a better sound.

It can be said of you:- But you/you however.

Titus is in Crete (1:5), an island which was not easy to live on as a follower of Jesus. But he was there as a light in the darkness. Paul had left him there to complete the work. He writes to encourage him to do so.

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— ² in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, ³ and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Saviour, ⁴ To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.” (Titus 1 v 1-5)

Paul was a Jew and Titus was a Gentile and yet the common faith meant that the Gentile was the true son of the Jew. He writes to his son but he knows this letter will be read to the churches in Crete and so he lays down his credentials in the opening of the letter: a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ and preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Saviour.

Here he is his true son, Paul has at least another spiritual son, Timothy. But in the letters of Corinthians Paul describes him in other ways:-

My brother in 2 Corinthians 2:13 and my partner and co-worker in 2 Corinthians 8:23.

Paul’s visit to Crete is not mentioned by Luke in the book of Acts and so presumably his mission took place after his first imprisonment in Rome and after Luke had written his account to Theophilus. The task for Titus was to appoint elders/leaders for the churches that had been established in the mission of Paul.

The Church in 2024 needs more spiritual fathers (and mothers) who have spiritual sons (and daughters) but not that they lord it over them or suppress them, restricting them from fulfilling the call of God on their life. But these relationships should be seen also as brother (and sister), true family and even more than that, partners and co-workers. How can Titus a spiritual son be a partner and a co-worker of the Apostle Paul? Only if Paul understood the economics of God. The Church that has held back the younger generation and not released them to levels of authority looks around and wonders where that generation has gone to. The spiritual fathers and mothers who have acted with weak, immature and controlling parenting skills now have no one to pass the baton on to. The Church that is old and dying is the church that rejected its young.

I am excited going into this letter sent to a spiritual son and a brother, partner and co-worker, to someone who was given authority to lead when the spiritual father left him to do so.